Food For Thought

Here are some process drawings for a Farmers Markets feature, to be published in a new underground food magazine. The Art Director gave me some yummy photos to montage and illustrate - and a totally open brief. Yee-Ha Cowboy!

Thanks Mr. Walker

Previous New Media winner Rob Walker has just uploaded his Judges notes for the Newcastle Poetry Prize in New Media to his web site . This is what he had to say.

This truly is mixed media. Like watching a close-up of hand-made Chinese paper on an old projector with the new millennium bonus of interactivity. Transparent water colours on a tactile surface; interesting use of textures and choice of typography. Some of the text animation is perhaps a little contrived, but transitions between screens and animated graphic elements are technically slick and aesthetically beautiful.
The counterpoint of Chinese characters and an Australian environment, the visual construction and deconstruction of the landscape and the effective and well executed soundscape add other layers to the meaning of the poem itself – a poem which could stand alone on its own merits but now has other strata of sumptuous complexity.
Sudden rain is much more substantial and polished than its rivals. It’s clear that much more work has gone into this than the alternate entries.
It has the best use of illustration, sound, texture, animation, transitions and layout and is the most successful in pulling all of these aspects together to create an immersive experience.
I especially appreciate that there are conflicting elements which don’t attempt to reach a conclusion – richly varied, complex and contradictory – much like Life.

Rob Walker
www.robwalkerpoet.com
NPP New Media Winner 2009 and 2007

We Won!

The prestigious Newcastle Poetry Prize  New Media Award is a recent initiative to foster new directions in Australian Poetry. This year, poet James Stuart and I picked up the The New Media Award, which carries a $2000 first prize. James approached me to work on this interactive flash experience, based on a poem he penned on a family holiday. Themes of cross cultural ways of viewing landscape were explored, and was fun to animate for more esoteric ends. You can view our poem by clicking here.

For Meg's Benefit

As those close to me may know, my sister Meg has been in an accident, sustaining serious brain injury. Enter epic Fundraiser. Hosted by Julia Zemiro, Megs Benefit Comedy Night was a huge success with 400 in attendance, featuring top international comedy acts. This piece of mine went up for auction. Was nice to work big and metres high, and the themes of female collaboration and optimism were apt for the night!

Taurus

Have started a set of horoscope illustrations. The set will be restricted to female faces/hands to depict some of the elements of each respective star sign. First up - Taurus. One down...11 to go!

...and process...always drawing first...

Roar Art

Just adding the finishing touches to a personal work. It combines my two favourite things - the circus and the tarot. I have always used the 'Strength' tarot card as my own personal talisman; the woman is unafraid, undaunted, and indomitable. In some cards she opens the lion's mouth, in others she shuts it. Either way, she proves that inner strength is more powerful than raw physical strength.

Relax

Have been experimenting with some of my old doodles today. Using elements of mono-prints as texture was really effective  -  thank you for this tutorial tip by Santiago Uceda.